9th Region All 'A' Classic - Final Four

[B-Ball-fan]

I am hearing that the Championship game on Saturday has been moved from 7:00 pm to 4:30 pm due to the pending bad weather. Can someone else confirm this?

 

Also, Holy Cross junior guard Nate Niehaus should be listed as a top player. He currently leads Holy Cross in scoring and can really shoot the 3.

 

I've not heard this but thanks for the heads up. Would've been a drag to get there on Saturday only to find that the game had already been played. I'll keep my ear to the ground to see if anybody knows anything for certain.

[NKYBallCoach]

Just spoke to an NCC dad - Saturday is 4:30

[B-Ball-fan]

Just spoke to an NCC dad - Saturday is 4:30

 

Thanks for the confirmation. :thumb:

[B-Ball-fan]

I tell you what, and this is no exaggeration, The 9th Region All "A" Classic Final Four did not disappoint.

 

Far from it.

 

Both games (Holy Cross vs. St. Henry,& Newport vs. NewCath) were filled with suspense, excitement, and heart-on-their-sleeves die-hard talented play.

 

We saw Holy Cross fight back from being down most of the 1st half by around 7 points, but instantly posturing themselves at the beginning of the 2nd half by scoring on their first two possessions establishing that they came to play, and now it was game on.

 

And from that point on the fans were treated to a neck n' neck affair where the outcome wasn't completed until the final horn.

 

No shame for St. Henry in this loss, for anyone watching was treated to a hot underclassmen heavy Crusader team that with their young talent are quite capable on any given night, while giving us an exciting glimpse of what we can expect in the next couple of seasons from these more than notable upstarts.

 

Gotta feel for #12 Wyatt Vieth for he wooed us with the game of his life scoring 30, with 14/16 from the line, who in the waning final seconds drove straight to the hole in assured dominant fashion only to come up short with a point blank lay up through rushed pressure of finishing before the horn. I've a hunch what plagued his sleep last night, probably replaying that last bucket attempt no short of 1000 times.

 

Dude, you need to know that this was not the lasting impression on your game. You're an amazing talent. Nothing to hang your head about it. We get it, and understand the pressure you were under. It happens, but your whole body of work happens too, and no one can deny that you're a special player that only makes us savor what more you have in store for us over the next two years.

 

So what about those Indians from The Cov who in the face of stellar Crusader play fought back with every ounce of sweat to not be denied even when it wasn't pretty all of the time. They stayed tough as nails even at times looking physically broken with multi-players limping and whatnot in unison.

 

Didn't stop 'em. They stayed gritty and determined that even with missing 1000 foul shots where some could deem them unworthy, and struggling often with multiple unfulfilled possessions, still they didn't give up.

 

Puzzling I'll have to admit, that once going up by 4 with little time on the clock, and their coach screaming to not foul, HC immediately fouls Vieth sending him to the line keeping the window way too wide open for the Cru.

 

If Vieth had tied it up in the end with that lay up, that one foul would've proved to be where the detriment had evolved. Nonetheless you can't fault these kids in how they stayed tough to the finish to get it done. Really hard to see anybody lose this one, but Holy Cross ultimately proved triumphant.

 

The now 6-10 Indians advance on Saturday at 4:30 to face the ever tough 16-4 Wildcats of Newport. Tall task for sure, but as they showed last night, don't count these die-hards out. The believers they are, they'll surely come to play.

[B-Ball-fan]

And not to be outdone, the nightcap Newport vs. NewCath game kept the suspense and excitement rolling seamlessly treating the fans to another incredible display of high school basketball awesomeness.

 

Newport immediately got up quick and big, finishing the 1st quarter with a 19-8 lead.

 

*Here's where they hopefully learned something valuable about not celebrating too soon because the never-say-die Breds went on a 15-0 tear overcoming the deficit going ahead in the 2nd period 23-19.

 

Game On!

 

And from there on, on both sides of the ball we were again treated to another sensational nail biter.

 

For the Breds, Jr. Evan Mullikin showed just how efficient a forward he his with assured confident power moves to the basket taking the load early to keep the MEN on the HILL alive.

 

Caleb Jeffeson also became a man in this game showing those who didn't already realize it that the guy has a confident game where he creates and often times unbelievably connects.With him the Breds felt in good hands, but the entire cast showed sensational highly contributive teamwork to keep this game in question throughout.

 

After the Breds took over the lead the Wildcats woke up from their celebrating and realized that they needed to play the entire game as NewCath had just schooled them hard back to reality.

 

It was rough going at times with Tahj Hardiing getting into some early foul trouble, and a certain frustration overcoming the team, but they collected themselves and stayed true and in focus.

 

White, Miller, Davis, and McGuire confidently carried the load and kept this game within their grips and in the early part of the 4th period took a 10 point lead that seemed too daunting to overcome, but then along comes #21 Jr. G Cody Mueller to connect beautifully with 3 3-Bombs from the corner to keep his crew in the game.

 

With a minute remaining, and the outcome still in question. NewCath having played their guts out, became plagued by missed FT's while Newport confidently netted theirs and secured the win.

 

Honestly no one is handing the Wildcats the trophy just yet because whoever they face is giving them their best shot, and so far Beechwood and NewCath have helped them see that nothing is for certain, and to not celebrate until you get the job done. They now get to face the Holy Cross Indians who have already showed they have nothing to lose and are bound to show up ready to grind out a tough one with high flying Newport Wildcats.

[Oldercoach]

Nice job, B-Ball-Fan. Appreciate your descriptions, gave me a real feel for the games.

[B-Ball-fan]

Nice job, B-Ball-Fan. Appreciate your descriptions, gave me a real feel for the games.

 

My pleasure... thanks for the kind words. :thumb:

[B-Ball-fan]

Holy Smokes was this ever an exciting final to an already exciting 9th Region All "A" Classic Tournament.

 

Had a hunch right out of the gate that the 6-10 Indians of Holy Cross would come to play, and play they did. They kept this game nip n' tuck throughout lead by the steady poised hand of the fearless, never rattled, and always confident point guard #11 Andrew Wahl. The kid almost seems unconscious with how he conducts business, and it's a shear joy to watch him go to work.

 

Newport kept the lead most of the game, but never extending it past 7 points, and the Cross remained always within reach.

 

Big man #55 Pete Knochelmann got into early foul trouble and had to spend a lot of the game on the bench.

 

Trent Gabbard hit a nice three early on but banged his ankle ending his day on ice.

 

Nate Neihaus, Jeremiah Hicks, Caeden Castlemaan played great games in this titanic struggle, and for whatever reason we never saw once the likes of So. guard Brandon McClendon who just the night before showed great quickness and talent in helping the Cross in their victrory over the Crusaders of St. Henry.

 

Hick plays with a maturity beyond his years, Neihaus kept HC alive with a couple nice 3's, and Castleman who may not pass the eye test is a scrappy winner of a player who contributed wonderfully in helping this game stay in question.

 

Newport is just solid and with Harding, Miller, Tournament MVP McGuire, White, and Davis who all kept the Cats on top whenever they needed a boost.

 

At one point the Cross did take the lead 41-40 but it was short lived.

 

Hicks tied the game at 45 with a big 3, then holding for one shot DaeShawn White hit a deep beautiful 3 leaving on :1.1 on the clock for the Indians' last Hail Mary effort by Knochelmann that was just a hair too short from tying it all up once more.

 

Game over, and the Wildcats once an for all are on their way to Richmond, Ky to represent the 9th Region in the State All "A" Classic Sweet 16 for the first time since they were 9th Region Champs in 2010.

 

It was well earned for they had to get past Beechwood by 1, NewCath by 5, and lastly Holy Cross by 3 and none of that came easy, but they hung tight and ultimately got it done.

 

Congratulations to the Newport Wildcats, and the best of luck in the State All "A" Classic. You sure have what it takes to represent the 9th Region well, so go in knowing that with a good focused 4 game effort you very well could be wearing the ring home.

Edited January 20, 2019 by B-Ball-fan